Firing mechanism including a unitary spring with three arms



g- 3, 1955 L. ELKAS ETAL 3,197,906

FIRING MECHANISM INCLUDING A UNITARY SPRING WITH THREE ARMS Filed Sept. 19, 1963 INVENTOR LOU/5 ELKAS THOMAS J DAVIES BY aw +27Jme ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,197,9(36 FilllNG MECHANISM INCLUDHNG A UNIITARY SiltlNG Willi THREE ARMS Louis Elites, Agawarn, and Thomas J. Davies, Springfield,

assignors to Emhart Corporation, a corporation of (Connecticut Filed Sept. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 3%,991 Claims. (Cl. 4 269) The present invention relates to improvements in firing mechanisms for rifles and the like.

The object of the invention is to simplify and reduce the number of parts as well as the manufacturing cost of firing mechanisms employed in rifles and other firearms.

ln broad terms, these ends are obtained by em loying in a rifle construction, a single multipurpose spring which serves to operate the trigger, the sear and the hammer.

The above and other related objects and features of the invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description of the disclosure found in the accompanying drawing and the novelty thereof pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of a ride with portions broken away to show a firing mechanism embodying the present invention, which is in a cocked position;

FIG. 2 illustrates the firing mechanism in its fired position;

MG. 3 illustrates the firing mechanism in a position ready to be cocked;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the firing mechanism in its cocked position; and

MG. 5 is a perspective view of the multi-purpose spring employed in the firing mechanism.

PEG. 1 shows the central portion of a rifle R comprising a chamber c having a bolt in slidable therein and moved in a known manner, as by a manually operated lever. The ride also comprises a conventional stock s which may be slotted to receive a firing mechanism housing in having a trigger guard 12 formed integrally therewith.

The firing mechanism comprises a hammer 14 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 125. The pin 16 is supponed at its opposite ends by Vertical walls 18 of the housing it) (the front wall 13 is broken away in the drawing). A sear 20 is pivotally mounted on a pin 22 which is also supported at its opposite ends by the housing walls l8. er 2 is also pivotally mounted on the pin 22. The trig er 24 comprises upwardly extending legs 2s, 25; (FIGS. 2 and 4) which embrace the sear 2t and receive the 22.

The forward end of the sear 2t) is adapted to be received in a notch 33% formed in the lower end of the hammer M to hold the latter in a cocked position. The rear portion of the sear 2d overlies an extension 32 of the trigger leg 28 which is bent to this relationship.

A single multi-purpose spring 34, illustrated in an untlexed condtion in FIG. 5, exerts spring pressures on the hammer M, sear 2t and trigger 24. Starting with an arm as which engages the trigger leg 26 at a point rearwardly of its pivotal axis, this spring is then coiled around the pin 16. It next is formed as an inverted loop 3% which engages the rear surface of the hammer l4 adjacent its upper end. Next the spring is again coiled about the pin 16 on the opposite side of the hammer 14. The spring then terminates in an arm ill having an inturned end which engages the upper surface of the sear 2t) also rearwardly of its pivotal axis. It will be seen that a small lug 42 (FIG. 4) projects from the sear 20 to hold the spring arms 36 and do in spaced relation insuring that arm 3'6 will bear against the trigger leg 26.

in the cocked position of the firing mechanism (FIG. 1)

the spring 34 is deflected so that the arm 36, through engagement with the trigger leg 26, maintains the trigger in a position determined by engagement of the extensio with the lower wall of the housing it), which serves as a stop means for the clockwise pivoting of the trigger. The spring arm as bears against the rear end of the soar to maintain its forward end in engagement with the notch 23 to hold the hammer Us in its cocked position. Deflection of spring loop 58 provides stored energy which is released to strike the firing pin of the bolt 12 when the trigger is opera ed.

T he trigger is operated by moving first against the pressure of spring arms as until the extension 32 rotates into engagement with the downwardly extending lug 31 at the rear end of the sear. Thereafter the trigger and sear are rotated together counterclockwise against the pressure of spring arms and d ll until the forward end of the sear is swung out of the notch The spring loop will then cause the hammer 14- to forcibly strike the firing pin of the bolt b and fire the round in the chamber 0.

Normally, after firing, the trigger would be released (KG. 3) preparatory to recocking the firing mechanism. Spring arm as returns the trigger to the position deiined by engagement of the extension 32 with the l wer wall of the housing it'd. Spring arm it) causes the forward end of the sear to bear against the lower end of the hammer 1 Spring loop 3 maintains the hammer engagement w a the bolt b. The loop 38 and arms 36, are deflected slightly inwardly at all times to maintain the sear and trigger in position for recocking.

To cock the mechanism, the bolt b is drawn rearwardly, pivoting the hammer against the action of the spring loop 38 until the forward end of the sear 2% engages the notch St The bolt 1) is then returned to its forward posi vn preparatory to firing another round of ammo 'tion. The various parts are thus brought back to the cocked pos ion described in connection wi h FIG. 1.

The mu purpose spring 34 has several advantages. Particularly it v ll be noted that there are three free ends (36, 33 and it each of which serves a different function and yet there is cooperation in that these free ends mutual- 1y provide anchors for spring controlled operation of the hammer, sear and trigger. Previously separate notches or the like were provided in the firing mechanism housing for anchoring one end or leg of the operating spring.

Other advantages will be apparent in that the number of parts is reduced with a consequent reduction in assembly and inventory costs.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as novel and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. Firing mechanism for a rifle or the like having a reciprocab e bolt, said mechanism comprising a housing generally underlying said bolt and having opposed walls, a hammer pin supported at its opposite ends by said housing Walls, a hammer pivotally mounted on said hammer pin and engageable with said bolt to discharge the rifle, a trigger pin supported at its opposite ends by said housing Walls, a trigger depending from said housing and having upturned spaced legs pivotally receiving said trigger pin, said housing having a lower wall one of said trigger legs having an extension engageable therewith, a sear also pivotally mounted on said trigger pin and disposed between the trigger legs, the rear end of said sear overlying the trigger leg extension, said hammer having a notch formed in its lower end, the forward end of said sear being engageable with said notch to hold the hammer in a cooked position, a multi-purpose spring comprising a loop engaged with the rear surface of said hammer adjacent the outer end thereof, the inner ends of said loop being coiled about said hammer pin and then projecting therefrom as spring arms, one of said spring arms engaging a trigger leg rearwardly of the trigger pin axis to urge the trigger leg extension into engagement with the lower housing wall, said sear having an elevated portion maintaining this spring arm in engagement with the trigger leg, the other spring arm engaging the rear of said sear and urging the forward end thereof into engagement with the notch in said hammer when it is in its cocked position.

2. Firing mechanism for a rifle or the like having a reciprocable bolt, said mechanism comprising a housing having opposed walls, a hammer pin supported at its opposite ends by said housing walls, a hammer pivotally mounted on said hammer pin and engageable with said bolt to discharge the rifle, a trigger pin supported at its opposite ends by said housing walls, a trigger pivotally mounted on said trigger pin, said housing having a lower wall and said trigger having an extension engageable therewith, a sear also pivotally mounted on said trigger pin, the rear end of said sear overlying said trigger extension, said hammer having a notch formed in its lower end, the forward end of said sear being engageable with said notch to hold the hammer in a cocked position, a multi-purpose Spring comprising a loop engaged with the rear surface of said hammer adjacent the outer end thereof, the inner ends of said loop being coiled about said hammer pin and projecting therefrom as spring arms, one of said spring arms engaging the trigger at a point urging the trigger extension into engagement with the lower housing wall, the other spring arm engaging the rear of said sear and urging the forward end thereof into an engagement with the notch of said hammer when it is in its cocked position.

3. Firing mechanism for a rifle or the like having a reciprocable bolt, said means comprising hammer pin, a hammer pivotally mounted on said hammer pin and engageable with said bolt to discharge the rifle, a trigger pin, a trigger pivotally mounted on said trigger pin, stop means for limiting the pivotal movement of said trigger, said trigger having an extension engageable therewith, a sear also pivotally mounted on said trigger pin, said trigger pin having means engageable with said sear to impart pivotal movement thereto, said hammer having a notch formed therein, the forward end of said sear being engageable with said notch to hold the hammer in a cocked position, said sear being pivoted out of said notch in response to movement of said trigger, a multipurpose spring comprising a loop engaged with the rear surface of said hammer adjacent the outer end thereof,

Cir

the inner ends of said loop being coiled around said hammer pin and projecting therefrom as spring arms, one of said spring arms engaging the trigger at a point urging the trigger extension into engagement with said stop means, the other spring arm engaging said sear at a point urging the forward end thereof into engagement with the notch of said hammer when it is in its cocked position.

4. Firing mechanism for a rifle or the like, said mechanism comprising a hammer, a sear engageable with said hammer to hold it in cocked position and a trigger engageable with said sear to displace the sear from engagement with the hammer to permit the hammer to fire the rifle, and a multi-purpose spring having three free ends, one of which urges the hammer into firing position, another of which urges the sear into engagement with the hammer and the other of which urges the trigger in a direction counter to that which causes the sear to be displaced from engagement with the hammer, said spring having a configuration whereby maximum spring pressure is applied to the sear and trigger when said hammer is cocked.

5. Firing mechanism for a rifle or the like comprising a pivotable hammer, a trigger, and a sear interengagcable with the hammer and trigger for retaining and releasing said hammer from cocked condition in response to trigger actuation, and a unitary spring coiled about the pivot of said hammer and having three arms extending radially therefrom, one of said arms being in the form of a loop engaged with said hammer, said spring including a second arm engaged with said scar and a third arm engaged with the trigger, said second arm urging with maximum spring pressure, said sear into cocking engagement with said hammer when said hammer is cocked and said third arm providing maximum spring pressure on said trigger.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Allyn 42-69 X BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. 

5. FIRING MECHANISM FOR A RIFLE OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A PIVOTABLE HAMMER, A TRIGGER, AND A SEAR INTERENGAGEABLE WITH THE HAMMER AND TRIGGER FOR RETAINING AND RELEASING SAID HAMMER FROM COCKED CONDITION IN RESPONSE TO TRIGGER ACTUATION, AND A UNITARY SPRING COILED ABOUT THE PIVOT OF SAID HAMMER AND HAVING THREE ARMS EXTENDING RADIALLY THEREFROM, ONE OF SAID ARMS BEING IN THE FORM OF A LOOP ENGAGED WITH SAID HAMMER, SAID SPRING INCLUDING A SECOND ARM ENGAGED WITH SAID SEAR AND A THIRD ARM ENGAGED WITH THE TRIGGER, SAID SECOND ARM URGING 